An Jiu dodged Hua Rongjian and glanced back.
Chu Diangjiang’s skills had improved rapidly. If he intentionally concealed himself, An Jiu could no longer pinpoint his location as clearly as before. However, just now, she had vaguely sensed his presence nearby.
“What are you looking at?” Hua Rongjian followed her gaze but saw nothing unusual.
An Jiu’s mood suddenly dampened.
“Was it Chu Diangjiang?” Hua Rongjian asked.
“I don’t know,” An Jiu replied.
“Ah Jiu, do I look a lot like him?” Hua Rongjian chuckled wryly. “When I was a guest at the Yu family in Yangzhou, I once had a drunken dream about a person who claimed to be me. But he didn’t resemble me at all. Instead, his build was more like my elder brother’s.”
An Jiu said, “You’re better suited to be a carefree young master.”
“There’s no going back. Once you know certain things, you can’t pretend not to know,” Hua Rongjian gazed at the lantern-lit river. “Ah Jiu, do you know why I wanted to marry you back then?”
“Because I’m good-looking,” An Jiu stated the fact calmly.
Hua Rongjian laughed heartily. “I’ve never met a girl like you! I wanted to marry you because your purity made me feel at ease. Of course, your looks were also a factor.”
“Purity?” An Jiu didn’t think she had any connection to the word “pure.”
“Yes. When we first met in the graveyard, your face clearly said ‘Stay away,’ and your eyes were full of killing intent. There was nothing else – just pure and transparent,” Hua Rongjian glanced at her. “I may be frivolous, but I’m not foolish. You’re different now from back then, more human-like.”
His handsome profile was illuminated by the lanterns, his eyes filled with a smile but tinged with bitterness as if he stood alone amidst the clamor.
Somehow, An Jiu was suddenly reminded of Chu Diangjiang. His loneliness was more profound than Hua Rongjian’s.
“I’ve enjoyed years of wealth and status. Would it be too affected if I said I hated Chu Diangjiang and everyone who manipulated my fate?” Hua Rongjian asked.
“You don’t need to think that way,” An Jiu paused before telling him, “Actually, you’ve always been quite affected.”
Hua Rongjian furiously raised his leg to kick her. “You bastard, would it kill you to say something comforting?”
An Jiu didn’t dodge, and the kick landed squarely on her calf.
Hua Rongjian was stunned. “Why didn’t you dodge?”
“Marrying Mei Ruyan is a bit unfair to you,” An Jiu said sympathetically.
This was probably one of the reasons he hated being manipulated. All along, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to marry; he just knew clearly that he had no say in who he married. Given that, he’d rather enjoy a few more years of freedom alone.
“Mei Ruyan?” Hua Rongjian asked, “An Shun?”
“She’s Mei Fifteen,” An Jiu said.
“That doesn’t seem right. She doesn’t have the beauty of the Mei family girls,” Hua Rongjian smiled nonchalantly. “You mean she has someone else in her heart, right?”
“You know?” An Jiu was surprised. They had only been married for three days.
“Who do you think I am? The dashing young master who ‘passes through a forest of flowers without a leaf sticking’! Everyone in Bianjing knows me. I can tell at a glance whether there’s love or not,” Hua Rongjian seemed to read her thoughts. “Even if the person in her heart is already dead, let alone alive, she can only stay obediently in the mansion. Otherwise, I won’t need to deal with her myself.”
How could the Hua family tolerate an unchaste daughter-in-law?
People around them who overheard this kept turning to look at him.
Hua Rongjian smoothed his sideburns, appearing quite pleased with himself.
“I wasn’t planning to say anything to discourage you since your mood is already not good…” An Jiu hesitated.
Hua Rongjian glanced at her. “Hah, go ahead and say it. You were born to discourage others. You’ve done plenty of mean things before. What’s one more?”
“The people of Bianjing have always treated you as a topic of amusement in their idle chatter,” An Jiu had sat in teahouses a few times and often heard gossip. Anything related to Hua Rongjian was rarely serious. He probably knew this himself, but he always remained cheerful. “You’ve been able to face all this calmly. Why now…”
To put it nicely, Hua Rongjian was open-minded, optimistic, and easygoing. To put it bluntly, he was a carefree fool.
The people around who heard An Jiu’s words quickly averted their gazes, fearing Hua Rongjian’s anger.
Unexpectedly, his reaction was very calm. He even seemed to be considering An Jiu’s words.
However, the reason he could be this way was that he had always lived smoothly. When the head of the family was no longer that family, could he remain so carefree?
“Ah Jiu,” Hua Rongjian’s expression turned serious as he faced her. “I just learned today that you never had any romantic feelings for me. Even so, I still want to marry you even now.”
The reason he hadn’t put in much effort was that he knew his elder brother had already married a Mei family woman. He and An Jiu could never be together, even if An Jiu was willing to be a concubine.
Just like Hua Rongjun’s childhood sweetheart engagement, hadn’t it changed due to the greater circumstances?
“Exposing yourself like this, are you stupid or foolish?” An Jiu said. “You just said you could tell at a glance whether there’s love or not.”
“The one involved is often blind. I’ve always been pragmatic; you can call it cowardice or incompetence,” Hua Rongjian said casually. He leaned in and quickly kissed her forehead. “But no matter what, I wanted to tell you what’s in my heart.”
When An Jiu came to congratulate him on his marriage today, he got angry. Firstly because of the Chu Diangjiang matter, and secondly because he realized she had no feelings for him at all.
Hua Rongjian’s action was like pouring cold water into a hot oil pan. The onlookers who had been secretly watching exploded into chatter. Some even shouted, “Young master, give her a hug!”
An Jiu’s face darkened. He always managed to cause a commotion effortlessly. An Jiu was used to hiding, and being surrounded by onlookers felt like being stripped naked in public.
Hua Rongjian seemed oblivious, grinning happily.
“I’m leaving,” An Jiu said curtly and turned to go.
Hua Rongjian didn’t follow. He watched her figure disappear into the crowd, then slowly walked along the riverbank.
The lights gradually faded into the distance.
Without realizing it, Hua Rongjian arrived at Wu Lingyuan’s wonton stall.
Due to the festivities, Wu Lingyuan was just about to close up shop. The surroundings were quiet except for Hua Rongjian’s footsteps. He listened carefully, “Young Master Hua has arrived.”
Since coming here once with An Jiu, Hua Rongjian has become a frequent visitor.
“You have keen ears,” Hua Rongjian sat down, noticing the additional tables around. “Any wontons left?”
“I’ve been saving some,” Wu Lingyuan washed his hands and quickly wrapped about twenty wontons, dropping them into the pot. “Miss Fourteen hasn’t come for a long time.”
Hua Rongjian remained silent, staring at the Diamond Sutra on the table in the dim lamplight.
Wu Lingyuan didn’t ask further. After serving the wontons, he smiled and said, “Thank you for the medicine, young master. I can now see light and shadows.”
Hua Rongjian mumbled an acknowledgment with his mouth full of wontons, quickly devouring a bowl.
“Would you like a more, young master?” Wu Lingyuan asked.
“That’s enough,” Hua Rongjian said. “Use the medicine for a while longer, and you might be able to see soon.”
“Young master seems to be in a bad mood today,” Wu Lingyuan collected the bowl and served a cup of tea. “For someone in my situation, just being able to eat my fill makes for a good mood.”
After a pause without a response, Wu Lingyuan said, “I’ve spoken out of turn.”
Hua Rongjian snapped back to reality. “Master Wu is a person of great wisdom.”
“Young master flatters me,” Wu Lingyuan said.
Hua Rongjian said, “When your eyes are better, I’ll recommend a teacher for you. You can continue to take the imperial examinations.”
Wu Lingyuan didn’t immediately express gratitude. Instead, he was silent for a moment before asking, “Does the young master have something he wants me to do?”
“Not necessarily,” Hua Rongjian looked at his thin face. “With your wisdom, you could have lived a more magnificent life. I just can’t bear to see you buried among the common folk.”
Although Wu Lingyuan was blind, his mind was clear. For Hua Rongjian to say such things, he must also be dissatisfied with his current situation. “Then I’ll entrust my life to Young Master Hua,” he said.
He had no attachments and was fairly content with his current carefree life. But if he were truly satisfied with mediocrity, he wouldn’t need to comfort himself with Buddhist scriptures. If he could live passionately one more time, his life would be complete.
Hua Rongjian hadn’t yet seen clearly into his own heart. Hearing Wu Lingyuan’s words, he didn’t immediately understand.
But he quickly caught on. “Does Master Wu know about Wei Yuzhi?”
“He’s from the martial arts world, right?” Wu Lingyuan was stationed at a busy waterway crossing, so his information was fairly up-to-date. “I’ve heard he’s a famous strategist.”
“Even the wisest person can reach the end of their rope. In terms of experience and temperament, I believe he’s no match for you,” Hua Rongjian had guessed from Mei Ruyan’s words that Wei Yuzhi’s current situation wasn’t good.
Wu Lingyuan was somewhat confused. “I don’t understand why the young master thinks I have such talents?”
“Intuition,” Hua Rongjian said.
Wu Lingyuan hadn’t done anything grand, but every little detail showed his extraordinary nature. Being able to run a successful wonton stall in such a remote place while blind, and turning the business into a thriving one in a short time with just a little money from An Jiu’s help – most people couldn’t do that. Moreover, Hua Rongjian had conversed with him many times and could judge whether a person had talent.
“Let me toast you with tea instead of wine, young master,” Wu Lingyuan raised his teacup.
Stars hung over the great river, and the night was vast. Hua Rongjian smiled as he raised his teacup and gently clinked it against Wu Lingyuan’s.
…
An Jiu returned to Chu Diangjiang’s residence, but he was no longer there. She then hurried back to Meihua Village.
She rowed a boat on the lake, which was covered with a thin mist. The sky and water were the same ink-blue color, both dotted with stars as if she were in a dream.
She didn’t rush back to the island, letting the small boat drift on the lake.
It wasn’t until a glimmer of dawn appeared on the horizon that she rowed back to shore.
Though she had only been gone for one night, the flower seeds planted by Mo Sigui had already grown a foot tall, their tender green color looking so fragile it might break at a touch.
As An Jiu stepped ashore, Da Jiu came bounding over joyfully, its jowls flapping, grinning with its huge mouth – so foolish-looking that she could hardly bear to look. Nevertheless, in response to such an enthusiastic welcome, she reached out and patted its big head in gratitude.
Sensing that Mo Sigui was nearby, An Jiu went to find him.
He was sitting against a tree, wearing a loose ivory-colored silk robe, puffing on his pipe.
“The day has barely dawned, and you’re already smoking?” An Jiu asked.
Mo Sigui turned his head, revealing a ghastly pale face with dark circles under his eyes, startling An Jiu.
“I’ve been smoking all night…” Mo Sigui’s expression was like that of an exhausted, struggling beast. “I have a feeling this medicine has completely lost its effect on me. This is the third time I’ve changed the prescription…”
“I have a feeling too,” An Jiu stood in front of him. “Sooner or later, you’ll drug yourself to death. A great physician killed by his own medicine – you’ll go down in history, haha.”
An Jiu laughed three times without any trace of mirth on her face.
“Get lost!” Mo Sigui threw his pipe at her.
An Jiu caught it easily and sniffed the medicine inside. “I also had trouble sleeping for a while. You’ll get used to it gradually.”
Her sleep was still very light; the slightest noise would wake her.
“If you’re so worried about Lou Mingyue, why don’t you go with her?” An Jiu sat down beside him.
Mo Sigui bristled at this. “Who says I can’t sleep because of her? Open your eyes and look closely – am I the kind of person to be lovesick?”
“‘In life, we must return; in death, we long for each other eternally,'” An Jiu looked at him, mercilessly exposing him. “Generally, people who aren’t lovesick don’t say such things.”
“That was written by someone else! I just borrowed it casually, borrowed!” Mo Sigui raged. “Besides, how could an uneducated fool like you understand the meaning?”
An Jiu was displeased. “Who says I’m uneducated?”
“If you’re so capable, tell me what’s written on the plaque in your room!” Mo Sigui put his hands on his hips and laughed. “Don’t think I don’t know.”
Writing good characters so poorly, who could understand them? An Jiu grumbled inwardly.
“You weren’t this irritable before,” she handed the pipe back to him, earnestly advising, “You should be careful.”
“Da Jiu, bite her!” Mo Sigui waved his hand.
Da Jiu let out a thunderous roar and made a fierce leap, landing at An Jiu’s feet. It lowered its head and gently nibbled her calf, then licked it soothingly. Having completed its task, it swaggered back to Mo Sigui’s feet for a reward.
“You, you, you!” Mo Sigui pointed at it with his trembling pipe. “How dare you perfunctorily obey me like this!”
Da Jiu shrank its head innocently.
“Now you’re even getting angry at a tiger. You’re seriously ill. You’d better go save yourself,” An Jiu advised.
“Hmph!” Mo Sigui flicked his sleeve and pulled out a fan, fanning himself vigorously. “Instead of wasting time, you should worry about yourself!”
The scent of ice dragon brain gradually calmed him down, and his mind cleared somewhat.
Whether due to his insomnia or his mood, he was becoming increasingly irritable.
“Oh, right,” having regained his composure, he remembered something important. “That Li Qingzhi has gone to the border.”
“He always wanted to join the army,” An Jiu said.
Mo Sigui slowly fanned himself, once again appearing graceful and composed. “I heard it’s because General Ling was urgently recalled. Li Qingzhi was worried he might encounter trouble, so he went to see if he could help along the way.”
An Jiu asked puzzled, “Why was he recalled?”
“Because he launched an attack on the Liao state and reclaimed a prefecture. But the Liao people showed a determination to fight to the death. The battle was fierce and lasted for a month. Some in the imperial court became restless and began advocating for sending envoys to negotiate peace,” Mo Siguang said, becoming agitated again. He waved his fan so vigorously that it whistled through the air. “Those wretched rats!”